Hi everyone. My 4 year old DD knows how to say her ABC's but now she wants to learn what they look like. I'm kinda at a loss at how to do this. Do I teach her one letter a day, a couple, the whole alphabet? I was trying to do 3 a day but she gets so confused with the letter D it throws her off of the whole thing. She gets it confused with B and E. I just don't know how to go about it. I read to her every night and she knows nursery ryhmes I just don't know how to get her to reconize the letters? Any suggestions would help me out alot. I have a book that she can trace the letters to write them should she do them both at the same time. Or should I just concentrate right now on reconision? Thanks Sherri

I am a nanny, and a parent.. and I swear by the Letter Factory by leap frog... I hope I can post the title on this board, if I can't sorry, I don't know... It is a great short dvd, maybe 30 minutes and it satisfies my 3,4 and 5 year old desire for tv, but it teaches them at the same time... I use that in conjunction with little homework assignments that we do togther, all age appropriate of course, but even my three year old can spout off and recognize quite a few letters. My oldest two are also completely able to identify and say the words that begin with the ABC's.. This DVD works wonders!!!!!!

My 4 year old learned alphabet at daycare. I was not able to teach her. If you can afford, you can take him to proffessional places like kumin or kaplan or something like that and help him to do assignments at home.
Old Sesame street videos are good, not new ones. I have about numbers and letters.

Hi Sherri! Ds is just about to turn 2, and he knows the alphabet because we got him Fridge Phonics from LeapFrog. It's fridge magnets, that when they put a letter in the base, it spells it and says how it sounds. We also do alphabet puzzles, and I give him alphabet stickers.

My son knew the alphabet by the age of 18 months. He learned from us with the assistance of leap frog alphabet bus and fridge phonics... Now he is four and reading on a 2nd grade level using a leapster and leap pad. His math skills are also exceptional.

MG

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If we learn by our mistakes, I am working on one hell of an education.

I agree, Leap Frog products are wonderful! When my daughter was two she knew a couple of letters. She got that DVD for Christmas and then after about a half dozen times watching it, she knew all the letters and their sounds. We also had the making words with magnet letters thing. She learned out to blend sounds with that. So now at four, she is also reading on a second grade level.

While these products are great, there is nothing that is better than good old fashion reading to your child. Talk about letters and sounds as you read, go through the grocery store, getting dressed.... A game my daughter loves to play is when we break words into syllables and then say the word again while removing a syllable. For ex. Say "summertime" Now say it again but don't say "time"...the child says "summer" This is great with compound words. Also clapping out the syllables (we call them parts) and count how many in certain words. Doing rhythm activities like this is great for pre-reading. (I used to teach kindergarten and first grade) Do rhyming word activities. Like say "hat", now change the /h/ to a /s/ (say the sounds of the letters) The child then says "sat" Keep doing this for cat, bat, pat, etc. When they get this, it's harder to do the final consonant. And then it's really tricky to change the vowels. Ex. say "top"...change the /o/ to /a/..."tap"

My daughters love games like this. They are great to play in the car. Just let it come naturally. When he seems like he's done, let him be done. I wouldn't push it. I wouldn't do a any of those Sylvan or other tutoring schools. At four, that's a big waste of money, unless you see a problem with learning. Besides, in that case, your first stop would be to your pediatrician anyway. But that doesn't sound like the case. Just go slow and let it come naturally. Just make it part of your day and he'll get them on his own.

I never actually had any particular plan with my kids to teach them the alphabet. He's 3 and knows all his letters and numbers. When we are out and about, I've always pointed things out and asked him questions like "what letter is that?" He looks at signs and can recognize letters and numbers now. He does like sesame street and when he was younger, liked baby einstien videos. It really depends on your child, what would be best for him or her to help them learn. My second child is a challang and has really no interest in anything that isn't the wiggles!! Ha Ha

I'd say that he/she isn't ready yet and will when it's time. Again, make it part of everyday stuff, then the child doesn't even realize it's learning. Just say things like "I see the letter A" as your driving along, at the grocery store, making dinner. Sitting down, doing worksheets, etc is not necessary for learning. Make learning a game and it goes a long way.

I agree with Sem627. I always make it part of everyday. My oldest loved to spell his name. He still forgets the "e", but learned letters b/c he was interested in his name. Give it time though! I'm sure they'll find some interest soon!

Thanks everyone. My daughter has been able to spell her name for quit some time now. I bought the leap forg fridge magnets and already she can reconize some letters. I told her if she doesn't know what the letter is to find out. She has been in the kitchen with that toy all day. I think that will really help. And we figured we have #2 on the way so it won't go to waste. She is so eager to learn right now. Thanks again everyone. Sherri

They have a number addition to the letter leap frog set. My son, his cousins and friends love that too.. especially when you start giving them a dime for going small chores like.. helping you empty the dish washer and sort silverware.. and dust with the little swiffer wand.. gee whiz he loves that thing.. scares the cat with it... but loves it. Money and being able to buy a book or small toy realy gets an interest in math going as well.

Sincerely,
MG

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If we learn by our mistakes, I am working on one hell of an education.